Mabior Garang, center, talks with other SPLM-IO delegates during a press conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 2014. Courtesy - of - www.ibtimes.com

The advance team of the SPLM-In Opposition is waiting for IGAD finalize logistics for its advance team before it can come to Juba, the Spokesperson of Dr. Riek Machar says.

James Gatdet says the team could not come to Juba as scheduled on the JMEC timetable until the arrangements are finished.

The chairman of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, Festus Gontebanye, said in a statement on Wednesday that the first batch of the advance team would arrive in Juba by the end of this week.

The second and the third groups would be in Juba on the 21^st and the 28^th of this month.

Gadet says the logistical arrangements include among others, transport.

James Gatdet says they are also waiting for a formal communication from the government on their arrival in Juba.

According to the timetable set by the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, the first group of the advance team will have more than 150 members.

It would be followed by two other groups a few days later to bring the total number of the members of the advance team to 609.

The government had rejected this number, saying it would be a security risk. Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the government wants a team of 30 members.

But JMEC says the new arrangement is phased and balanced to address logistical and security concerns.

The timetable indicates that the Transitional Government of National Unity is to be formed on the 22^nd of next month.